Radio Buchegg

Drawing on insights from El Agente Topo, which highlights both the need for emotional connection and the risks of isolation in old age, our spatial analysis of the elderly home El Monte revealed how soft boundaries can foster interaction.

We applied this insight to Zürich’s Bucheggplatz—a transit hub surrounded by care institutions but lacking social engagement—by introducing subtle interventions that build on the site’s existing potential.

Rather than imposing a new structure, the design works with the site’s existing qualities—its topography, garden, and urban context. An artificial extension of the topography rises gently around the park, forming acoustic buffers against traffic and establishing spaces for gathering, resting, or spontaneous performances. Existing paths are integrated to guide movement while offering moments of pause and interaction.

At the center, a radio station blends with a ‘waiting room’—a hybrid space for listening, recording, and dialogue. The open, accessible ground floor invites public participation, while the upper level houses production and editorial functions.

By enhancing Bucheggplatz’s latent potential, RADIO BUCHEGG becomes more than a building— It builds a dynamic community woven through the rhythms of everyday life. Through soft forms, inclusive design, and shared sound, the project invites people to slow down, connect, and reinhabit the city together.

Project by: Dominic Sigrist, Michelle Buschauer, Miriam Gabour, Linus Müller

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Lisa Maillard, Luis Úrculo, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen

Design Studio: Spring 2025

Photos and Videos taken by Luis Úrculo